EXCHANGE is a quarterly magazine published by the Local Government Management Association (LGMA) of British Columbia. It’s about sharing information, exchanging ideas on best practices, enhancing professional development and building networks. Reach us at www.lgma.ca.

EXCHANGE is a quarterly magazine published by the Local Government Management Association (LGMA) of British Columbia. It’s about sharing information, exchanging ideas on best practices, enhancing professional development and building networks. Reach us at www.lgma.ca. WINTER 2019

Communication:Inside and Out P8

P6 CELEBRATING A CENTURY

P14 LESSONS LEARNED: CASE STUDIES

P21 COMMUNICATION TIPS

VANCOUVER OFFICE

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www.younganderson.ca

Sharing information and expertise helps build strong, sustainable communities. Young Anderson is proud to support professional development opportunities for municipalities and regional districts.

Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government1

UpdateIn this Issue 2President’s Report 3Executive Director’s Report 4Case of Interest 5 Members Page 23Our Town 24

Professional DevelopmentTips & Tactics: Communications 21and Engagement

Programs & Events 23

24Our Town: Village of AnmoreWhere is Anmore, you ask?

Find out more about this

hidden gem in Metro Vancouver

– the home of popular

recreation destination Buntzen

Lake, community festivals and

semi-rural living.

6Help Celebrate a Century in 2019How will you help celebrate

the LGMA’s 100th anniversary

in 2019? Find out about our

volunteer challenge, interview

series, tree-planting program

and more.

8Communication: Inside and OutHear from two communication

and engagement professionals

who help local governments

carry out transparent and

responsive communication –

both within their organization

and with the community.

14Lessons Learned: Three Communications Case StudiesGet new perspectives on

engagement from the

Township of Equimalt and

Langley City, and learn about

Ontario’s requirement for local

government codes of conduct.

Exchange is the magazine for members of the Local Government Management Association of British Columbia. Exchange is distributed quarterly to over 900 members of the LGMA, as well as Mayors and Regional District Chairs.

Exchange is printed on Sappi Flo, an FSC® Certifi ed 10% recycled fi bre paper at Island Business Print Group.

LGMA Offi ce:Suite 710A 880 Douglas StreetVictoria, BC V8W 2B7Telephone: 250.383.7032Email: offi ce@lgma.caWeb: www.lgma.ca

Contact the Editor:Email: editor@lgma.ca

Cover Illustration: akindo/Getty Images

A Quarterly Publication of the LGMA Exchange – Winter 2019 2

IN THIS ISSUE

H aving worked as a communications professional for close to 30 years, and with a focus on local government for 18 years, it probably comes as no surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed working on this edition of Exchange.

Communicators have long lobbied for increased transparency, more proactive communication and improved responsiveness to citizens and the media. But with the impacts of social media and the emergence of increased expectations for engagement, it feels like everyone else is joining our team.

Over the past few years, I’ve found that there is a signifi cant increase in demand for media and social media training. The Information Offi cer course I teach for the Justice Institute of BC is regularly sold out, with people waiting for the next session to take the training on how to communicate more effectively in a crisis. I’ve also noted that there are more and more communication professionals being hired to lead the communications and engagement for local government. When I fi rst started with the City of Coquitlam back in 2001, there were very few local governments in the Lower Mainland that had a designated communication position – I was one of three or four in total. It is quite frankly a relief to see the recognition that communication and engagement benefi t tremendously from having a communications professional in a dedicated position to help guide these processes.

As Coquitlam’s communication manager, I had the amazing opportunity to create the communication program from the ground up, including developing policies and procedures and creating a logo and brand guidelines for the organization. Today, local governments are faced with the same requirement to develop and implement new policies that address social media opportunities and pitfalls, as well as updating codes of conduct to support respectful behaviour and communication on social media platforms, in the community and in the workplace.

In Communication: Inside and Out, we hear from two communication and engagement professionals who are providing advice and assistance to support transparent and responsive standards in their organizations.

This includes how local government managers support and advise their elected offi cials, as well as how to be more effective when communicating with and engaging the community. They also highlight policies, procedures and best practices that are emerging to support changes in technology and meet community expectations.

In the case studies, the Township of Esquimalt and Langley City provide new perspectives on engagement. They show how sometimes the primary audience needs to be elected offi cials, and that sometimes having engagement to achieve meaningful outcomes requires consulting with experts. In the Ontario case study, a legal expert and integrity commissioner for local governments in the province outlines how new provincial legislation is requiring local governments to establish codes of conduct to address concerns related to egregious behaviour by elected offi cials.

As local governments transition from initial orientation for elected offi cials to ongoing operations, these stories and advice from experienced communicators help to provide perspectives about what it takes to deliver effective and successful communication and engagement in our communities. I encourage local governments to look at what others are doing, learn from their success stories and take note of the challenges and how they are addressed as part of continuous improvement.

Communication is the foundation for how we relate to each other, including working with Council, communication amongst staff and engaging with the community. In today’s world, transparency is becoming paramount and if information is not confi dential, the community expects to be informed. And if it is a decision or action that affects them, they expect to be consulted. When a local government is successful in this area, they build trust and instill confi dence – inside the organization and out in the community.

Th erese Mickelson, ABC

Editor

It is quite frankly a relief to see the recognition that communication and engagement benefi t tremendously from having a communications professional in a dedicated position to help guide these processes.

Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government3

I t’s a pleasure for me to provide you with an update on some key

activities that the LGMA has been involved in over the past

months, which we hope will support you as you begin engaging,

onboarding and preparing your elected offi cials for the next four

years of work together. By now I hope all of you have had a chance

to review the Elected Offi cials Orientation Resource Kit, which went

to CAOs and Corporate Offi cers in early August. We encourage

you to use the resources in the orientation kit, and the samples of

materials both within the kit and online at CivicInfo BC, as well as

the candidate resource materials such as videos and election support

materials provided by the Ministry of Municipal Aff airs and Housing,

UBCM and the LGMA.

With the rise of incivility in worldwide political discourse, I oft en

refl ect on the importance of our work as local government

professionals. You may know that I grew up during the apartheid era

in South Africa, seeing fi rsthand the devastating and unfair impacts

that go along with being an un-democratic society. Knowing that, I

believe that we must fi ercely protect the democratic institutions that

make our country special. I hope that even in a small way, the LGMA

can assist in encouraging good governance and respectful conduct for

communities in our province.

Over the past two years, LGMA staff have committed signifi cant time

and energy to support the Working Group on Responsible Conduct

and have welcomed the opportunity to join the Ministry and UBCM

in this collaborative eff ort to address issues related to the responsible

conduct of elected offi cials.

Just as we are expecting our elected offi cials to demonstrate ethical

behaviour and respectful conduct, it is important for us as the

administrative professionals of our organization to be and be seen

to be ethical. As a professional association, the LGMA remains

committed to promoting a culture and philosophy of ethics to

shape the values and expected behaviour of its members. Th e Board

of the LGMA has announced that it will mark the coming 100th

anniversary year with a review of the LGMA’s Code of Ethics and

complaint procedures.

We also want to reinforce the eff orts of the Working Group on

the Responsible Conduct of Elected Offi cials by mirroring their

foundational principles for responsible conduct and ensuring that

we can, with confi dence, demonstrate the highest standards and

guidelines for ethical conduct and integrity in all public, professional

and personal relationships in order that each of us merits the trust

and respect of our elected offi cials, fellow administrators, employees,

and the public.

Th e ethics review process has started under the guidance of the

LGMA Ethics Committee comprised of former Presidents Kelly

Ridley, Paul Murray and Patti Bridal. Th e Ethics Committee has also

retained the expertise of Tim McGee, the recently retired CEO of

the BC Law Society. Th ey are reviewing leading practices of codes

of ethics, complaint procedures and remedies from associations

both national and international to assist with answering a range

of questions critical to how the Ethics Committee approaches any

changes. Th ese include questions around compliance, regulatory

approaches, public interest complaints and how standards of

behaviour can be measured.

Early in 2019, they will be surveying local government professionals

about specifi c proposed changes to the Code of Ethics. We expect to

have draft recommendations from the Ethics Committee by March

2019 for local government professionals to review and comment on.

Changes to the Code of Ethics and complaint procedures will be

presented to the membership at the Annual General Meeting on

June 12, 2019 for a vote.

I also hope you all know that next year is our 100th anniversary and

that you’re following our Facebook page. Please send us any materials

from your local government – we love the photos and the memories

being shared! We also encourage you to plant a tree to celebrate the

work of local governments in our communities. An information kit

has been sent to your local government with details on this project.

It is a great honour to lead the LGMA during my term as President,

and my hope is that you fi nd the examples and resources highlighted

in this edition of Exchange inspiring, so that we may encourage good

governance and celebrate the impressive work going on in our industry.

Mark Koch

President

We must fi ercely protect the democratic institutions that make our country special. I hope that even in a small way, the LGMA can assist in encouraging good governance and respectful conduct for communities in our province.

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

A Quarterly Publication of the LGMA Exchange – Winter 2019 4

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT

Thank you for continuing to provide your evaluations and feedback on our programs – it’s what helps us improve and prioritize new program offerings.

This time of the year is always uplift ing for the LGMA team as we

fi nish off our training programs, prepare our workplan for the

coming year and refl ect on all that we’ve contributed to serving

our members and local government professionals over the past

year. In both thinking about 2018 and gearing up for 2019, it gives us

a sense of accomplishment as well as energy and excitement as we get

ready for a new year of programs and training opportunities, especially

this year given all our planned centennial celebrations!

Aside from our signature training like the CAO Forum, Corporate

Offi cers Forum, Administrative Professionals and Annual Conferences,

thinking about what programs to develop is invigorating, particularly

when you, the members we serve, have told us what you need

and expect from us. So thank you for continuing to provide your

evaluations and feedback on our programs – it’s what helps us improve

and prioritize new program off erings.

As we prepared for 2019, we used the recent 2018 CAO Survey report

from across Canada by StrategyCorp Inc. as an important touchstone

for the trends we’ve been tracking here in British Columbia. Of note,

our team has had a number of discussions with program advisory

committees, faculty and presenters, as well as with local government

thought leaders on several of the critical areas highlighted in the

CAO survey. Topics included the growing fi scal crunch, the race for

talent, the pressures of disruption and populism in local government

engagement with communities, and the eff orts towards reconciliation

with Indigenous peoples.

As we honour the work of the thousands of volunteers over the

past 100 years who have built, delivered, and rebuilt our training

and professional development programs and have defi ned the

professionalism of the vocation of local government public service,

we are also refl ecting on the future challenges for the profession. In

particular, we’ve noted the human resource pressures many local

government managers are facing. Th e human resource trends

highlighted by Morneau Shepell, one of Canada’s leading employee

benefi ts companies for 2019, are telling: employee turnover due

to retirements and retrenchments are predicted to be on the rise;

supporting the mental health of employees is a top fi ve priority for

many employers; and improving employee engagement is the number

one focus for a majority of employers to better recruit, retain and

motivate their workforce.

Th ese are areas that we have also been focused on as we have refi ned our

training goals and redeveloped the content for many of our programs

over the past couple of years, and we are committed to continuing

to do so. We are off ering more targeted opportunities for a variety

of local government leaders for training in human resource topics

like employee engagement through CAO and Corporate Offi cer

Forum and Annual Conference sessions, assisting organizations with

understanding and developing strategies to address mental health risk

among employees through a training partnership with the Canadian

Mental Health Association, and improving opportunities to ensure our

local government leaders have the skills to encourage and demonstrate

respectful communication.

As the year winds down, thank you to each and every one of you for

the great work you are doing in your communities. We look forward

to celebrating 100 years of growing the local government profession

with you in 2019, including our commemorative projects like planting

a tree in honour of the local government profession in every local

community across B.C., celebrating your volunteer contributions to

your communities through our 100,000 Hours campaign, and raising

$100,000 to support a new First Nations Public Service scholarship in

partnership with the First Nations Public Service Secretariat. You can

learn more about all these commemorative campaigns in this edition of

the Exchange or on our website.

Wishing all of you a wonderful holiday season and a happy, prosperous

and peaceful 2019. I look forward to celebrating a century of our work

together next year!

Nancy Taylor

Executive Director

Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government5

By Ryan BortolinStewart, McDannold Stuart Barristers & Solicitors

Councillors Behaving Badly

Addressing disrespectful and unlawful conduct by locally elected

officials is not a new topic. However, in the age of social

media, it is a larger topic than ever before due to the enhanced

scrutiny that both local governments and elected officials

face. For some types of misconduct, the consequences are clear. For

example, there is a potential for disqualification under the Community

Charter for an elected official who participates in a matter in which

they have a conflict of interest. But what about behaviour that while

still unacceptable, does not reach the level of potential disqualification?

UBCM has identified this an issue, and its Working Group on

Responsible Conduct has developed a model code of conduct for

Boards and Councils to adopt. However, the Working Group has not

recommended a form of sanction for a breach of a code.

This leaves Councils and Boards with only one option when

considering how to address misconduct that does not go to the level

of disqualification – a motion of censure. A motion of censure is a

motion passed by a Council or Board expressing disapproval with the

behaviour of one of its members. The parameters of what sanctions can

be imposed through a motion of censure are not clear because the ability

to pass these motions is not expressly created by a statute and judicial

consideration of these motions is sparse.

There are two reported cases involving motions of censure in British

Columbia. The first was Barnett v. Cariboo (Regional District), a

challenge of a resolution restricting a director from having any contact

with staff except through written correspondence due to complaints

regarding his interactions with staff. The court found that the Board

had the authority to pass the resolution because the powers conferred

on the Board under the Local Government Act have to be interpreted to

permit the Board to exercise power that is necessarily or fairly implied

by statute, including its authority to control its own processes.

The other case is Skakun v. Prince George (City), 2011 BCSC 1796.

The Councillor in this case disclosed a confidential report on workplace

harassment to the media without authorization. As a result, he was

convicted under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy

Act for disclosing personal information contrary to that act. Council

wanted to take an additional step of censuring his conduct. A court

application was made to determine whether Council had the authority

to do so. The court determined that Council had the authority but

warned that Council must be cautious when passing a motion of

censure, due to its potential to be used as a political tool. The court also

discussed whether Council can impose additional sanctions. It expressed

doubt as to whether Council has this authority and advised Council to

exercise extreme caution when considering whether to do so.

These cases both make it clear that even when a failure to comply with a

legal obligation or to behave in a respectful manner does not reach the

level of disqualification, there are repercussions that can follow.

CASE ofINTEREST

The UBCM’s Working Group on Responsible Conduct has developed a model code of conduct for Boards and Councils to address unacceptable behaviour.

The Potential Consequences of Unlawful and Disrespectful Behaviour

A Quarterly Publication of the LGMA Exchange – Winter 2019 6

Continued on page 7

LOOKING BACKAnnual Conference delegates exploring the emerging world of personal computing at the 1991 LGMA Annual Conference Showcase in Whistler. This same year, the World Wide Web was turned on for the first time in Switzerland.

LGMA UPDATES

Supporting Local Government Professionals for 100 YearsTo celebrate its 50th conference in 1989, the LGMA, then called the

Municipal Offi cers’ Association of BC, published a history of the

Association and stressed that its success is a refl ection of the strength of

its members. In 2019 as the LGMA celebrates 100 years of supporting

local government professionals, we want to celebrate the impact that our

members make in communities across the province. Th roughout the

year we have a number of LGMA100 projects designed to celebrate our

members, and we need your help to make 2019 an unforgettable year for

the Association.

Join the LGMA in the 100,000 Hours Volunteer ChallengeLaunched in November 2018, the 100,000 Hours Volunteer campaign has

already seen dozens of local government professionals share hundreds of

hours of volunteer impact.

Even when away from the offi ce, local government professionals spend their

free time volunteering to support community causes. We want to highlight

the impact local government professionals make in their communities. Visit

our website (www.lgma.ca/100000hours) and log your volunteer hours

today. Together we will reach our 100,000 goal before the end of 2019!

Help Celebrate a Century in 2019“The strength, effectiveness and growth of the [LGMA] is measured in direct relationship to that of its members.”

Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government7

100 Years of Local Government – Growing a ProfessionWhether helping communities through the Great Depression, earning

special commendations for wartime rationing eff orts, or helping

build a system that supports learning, leadership and growth, LGMA

members have made an incredible impact in our province. Check

out our video series “100 Years of Local Government: Growing a

Profession,” on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/LGMABC)

and explore the decade-by-decade evolution of the local government

profession over the past 100 years.

We are looking for members to interview for this series. If you have

a story from your career in local government to share from the

1980s, 1990s, or 2000s, please contact rhunt@lgma.ca.

Plant a Tree to Celebrate the Work of Local Government ProfessionalsDuring Local Government Awareness Week 2019 (May 26-31) the

LGMA is working with local governments across B.C. to plant a tree

in recognition of a century of hard work, dedication, and innovation

by local government professionals. If you attend a tree planting

ceremony in your community, take a picture and share it with us on

Twitter (@LGMABC) using the hashtag #LGMA100.

Get Updates and Get Involved To receive the latest LGMA100 announcements, follow our

LGMA100 Facebook page (www.facebook.com/LGMABC) or

subscribe to our weekly newsletter. If you have a memory, photo,

or story you’d like to share, please contact Ryan Hunt, LGMA

Communications & Membership Engagement Coordinator

(rhunt@lgma.ca).

We hope to celebrate the LGMA’s Centennial with you at our 2019 Annual Conference in Vancouver June 11-13!

years of Service to Local GovernmentCelebrating

A Quarterly Publication of the LGMA Exchange – Winter 2019 8

By Therese Mickelson, ABC

A Quarterly Publication of the LGMA Exchange – Winter 2019 8

Inside Out&COMMUNICATION:

Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government9

Continued on page 10

Eff ective engagement demonstrates responsiveness and

transparency and shows how the local government is a cohesive

unit working to support the community. Th is involves engaging

Council, staff and the community by keeping them informed,

inviting input or feedback on local projects, plans and new initiatives,

and creating an environment that encourages respectful interactions.

Th e foundation for successful communication and engagement in

local government stems from adhering to open government principles,

and creating policies and procedures to guide actions that refl ect those

values. It is also essential to understand the changes in communication

and the corresponding increase in demand for engagement and

immediate response to concerns and inquiries.

While the expectations for meaningful communication and engagement

continue to impact local governments, it’s important to remember that

the responsibility for these tasks doesn’t sit solely on the shoulders of the

corporate communications staff .

“Th e reality is that every time we speak to someone, whether it’s a

colleague, elected offi cial, member of the public or media, and regardless

of whether it’s a casual, friendly conversation or part of a public

presentation, we’re all communicating,” says Ted Townsend, Director,

Corporate Communications and Marketing, City Richmond. “We just

have to recognize that we need to give some thought and structure to

how we communicate so that we can be eff ective and successful.”

Like many aspects of good governance, communication and engagement

benefi ts from clearly defi ned principles and the application of consistent

policies and protocols.

“First and foremost, the principles that should guide communication are

accountability, openness and the importance of keeping the community

informed about the actions and decisions taken by the City, and

specifi cally by Council,” says Townsend. “It’s also important to keep

the community informed about the role they can play in terms of the

decision-making process.”

Townsend also points out the lessons learned as the demand for

engagement grows in local government.

“We need to be forthright about what is up for discussion, whether

they have the opportunity to infl uence the decision, and what’s not up

for discussion,” says Townsend. “Too oft en, local governments go out

under the guise of consultation, but really they are just telling the public

what they are going to do. Don’t call it consultation when it’s really just

information-sharing.”

When it comes to engagement, there is a recognized spectrum that starts

with informing audiences, moves to consultation and involvement,

and progresses to collaboration and empowerment to make decisions.

Th is spectrum was established through the International Association

for Public Participation (IAP2), and most governments are primarily

applying the inform, consult and involve aspects of the spectrum. Very

few actions, such as elections and referendum, count as empowerment.

As an international leader in public participation, IAP2 has also

developed the “IAP2 Core Values for Public Participation” that establish

best practices for the development and implementation of public

participation processes. (For core values see Tips and Tactics, page 21.)

Local governments like the Municipality of North Cowichan are

integrating these values into the way they implement engagement

initiatives in their community.

When done well, communication helps build trust, instill confi dence and foster positive relationships internally and with the community.

“Too often, local governments go out under the guise of consultation, but really they are just telling the public what they are going to do. Don’t call it consultation when it’s really just information sharing.”

A Quarterly Publication of the LGMA Exchange – Winter 2019 10

“Th e IAP2 values are about fairness and access, and they are based on

the fundamental belief that if you’re impacted by a decision, you have

the right to know and the right to have a voice,” says Natasha Horsman,

Manager of Communications and Strategic Initiatives, Municipality of

North Cowichan. “You may not have direct control over the outcome,

but you can still be informed and involved. It’s about accountability and

it applies across government.”

Once an organization has defi ned and incorporated principles and

values to guide its communication and engagement, the next step is to

establish policies and procedures for key areas such as media relations,

social media and community engagement.

Media relations policies and procedures ideally provide some parameters

related to approved spokespeople, how subject matter experts at a staff

level can support media response, and the approval process for proactive

media, such as issuing news releases.

Media policies should also include a disclaimer related to crisis situations

involving the activation of an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC),

noting that EOC protocols supersede the standard policy during these

activations.

Most oft en, the primary spokesperson

for the local government is the Mayor or

Board Chair. Designated staff such as the

Chief Administrative Offi cer, corporate

communications and engagement manager

if available, and Incident Commanders at

emergency response sites are also usually

approved spokespeople. Th e protocols for

who will respond to each media inquiry are

oft en a judgement call based on the specifi c

news story.

“Th e reason for wanting to have Council take the lead on certain issues

is that it comes down to accountability and openness,” says Townsend.

“Th e public expects to hear from Council in terms of decisions being

made.”

In other situations, Townsend notes that staff may take the lead, such as

when providing specifi c expertise in certain subjects or when staff can

provide an objective perspective that is outside of political debate. Th e

key is to recognize that media are an opportunity to get messages out to

the community.

Communication: Inside and OutContinued from page 9

Continued on page 11

Natasha Horsman

Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government11

“Too many local governments perceive media as ‘the enemy of the

people’ as Donald Trump would put it, or at best an annoyance,”

says Townsend. “Certainly we need to be cognizant of the risks

and challenges posed by the media, but we also need to see it as an

opportunity that we build into our project communications, particularly

if we’re doing engagement.”

Social media impacts have prompted the development of additional

policies that relate specifi cally to how the organization will use social

media, expectations of Council and staff and statements about

respectful use of these tools. Most local governments now host their

own social media channels, primarily on platforms such as Twitter,

Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Th ese new communication tools

provide multiple opportunities to reach audiences in new ways and

encourage two-way communication. At the same time, there are

instances where negative behaviours such as bullying or attacks on

decisions are undermining the authority and credibility of the Council

or Board. Just as bullying and abuse is not permitted in the work place,

it should not be permitted on social media. For these reasons, it is

useful to cover professional, respectful use of social media during initial

orientation for elected offi cials, and reinforce these principles with a

clearly defi ned policy and related procedures in place.

While policies are ideally high level without getting too mired in details

about various scenarios, key components should include guidelines for

supporting open, transparent government and responsible use.

“I think you need to have very sound social media policy and procedures

for elected offi cials and staff ,” says Townsend. “But I like to reference

back to Microsoft ’s social policy which is two words: be smart.”

Some policies or procedures highlight that while individual elected

offi cials may express their opinions about current items being debated

by the Council or Board, once a decision is made the debate should

end with it. Th ere’s also a fi ne line between criticizing a decision and

attacking a decision in a way that undermines the authority of the

Council or Board. Th e policy and protocols for social media should also

refl ect how the organization balances its social media platforms with the

fact that many elected offi cials will have their own.

“We don’t comment or share information from Councillors’ personal

accounts, but we encourage them to post and share the corporate posts

from our platforms,” says Townsend. “When using social media, it’s

important to go into it with your eyes wide open because any comment

you make in any domain, whether individually on personal sites or as

part of an online conversation or to the media, can be seen around the

world. More than ever before, this is a world where there’s certainly a lot

of need to think before you speak.”

Local governments also need to address what is acceptable in terms of

posts on their hosted platforms, and how they will manage the demand

for timely responses.

Most organizations do not have capacity for 24/7 monitoring of

their social media, so the challenge is how to manage the demand for

immediacy.

As well, transparency on these open forums is expected, but it needs to

be balanced with respectful communication.

“You need to determine in advance how you will deal with behaviours

that are criminal, libelous or even just mean-spirited personal attacks,”

says Townsend. “Within our policies we try to be as open as possible

but if someone is posting personal attacks like these, we remove them.

It’s always a challenge to fi nd the balance, and we oft en have discussions

about what to do about comments, asking ourselves is it fair, is it

reasonable, should we leave it up or remove it.”

To help support Council, the City of Richmond now off ers training for

elected offi cials to provide guidance on respectful use of social media,

what pitfalls to watch for, and expectations for them as representatives

of the organization.

“It’s a continually evolving fi eld, and we felt it was important to provide

Council with some tips – especially given the climate where in some

places it has gotten quite nasty in the social media world and has

then crossed over to impacting the actions of Council as a body,” says

Townsend.

Continued on page 12

A Quarterly Publication of the LGMA Exchange – Winter 2019 12

Communication: Inside and OutContinued from page 11

Community engagement is another area where there is increasing

demand and a corresponding need for clear policies and procedures. Th is

helps clarify when a local government will engage with the community,

what type of engagement will take place and how input from the

community will be used to support decision-making.

“Our Council wants to build relationships and engage the community,

but we need to do it from the right place by having good conversations

and gaining an understanding of everyone’s diff erent views,” says

Horsman. “If we’re just doing it to tick a box on a project list and not in a

meaningful way, we’re doing more harm than good.”

To help support eff ective and meaningful engagement, Horsman

is working on a Council engagement policy that will provide an

overarching statement about the importance of communicating

with and hearing from citizens for projects with high impacts on the

community. Th e policy will also speak to embedding respectful dialogue,

transparency and a commitment to hearing from diverse audiences

as well as other IAP2 core values. In practical terms, the policy will

highlight the need to budget for engagement on large scale projects.

With the Council policy in place, the next steps are to defi ne more

specifi c guidelines for staff and provide training to increase the capacity

and understanding of community engagement fundamentals within the

organization.

“Th e guidelines need to equip staff to carry out Council’s policy, and

that includes planning early and establishing procurement requirements

both for what engagement is required, and the standards the contractor

must meet, such as use of the IAP2 framework,” says Horsman.

Th e guidelines will also defi ne expectations around the tools used to

consult with the community. As an example, the standard in place is

that any information and opportunities for input being shared with the

community in person must also be posted using the organization’s online

tool, PlaceSpeak.com, which hosts servers in Canada and has extensive

measures to protect confi dentiality as part of meeting privacy legislation

requirements.

Th e guidelines are also designed to provide staff with a framework to

assess what needs to be done to prepare for and implement community

engagement. It includes determining whether the engagement is

primarily to inform audiences or if there is a consultation aspect and

if so, what areas can the community infl uence and in what way. Th e

guidelines also need to include a checklist of tasks that need to be

completed, including assessing budget and capacity requirements and

providing early notifi cation to communications about the project. It’s

also important to consider what will be done aft er the consultation

process, including how the input will be used and what will be done to

report back to the community on what was heard or received.

“We need to take the time and eff ort to plan and do it right,” says

Horsman. “You have to double the amount of planning work compared

to the delivery. Right now the culture is that communication comes last,

so if we want to be eff ective, we have to shift that culture to build it into

projects from the beginning.”

Training will be an essential part of integrating new standards for

engagement into the organization. North Cowichan staff will be

receiving training from an IAP2 certifi ed trainer in the spring.

“Th is training will help them think through what they need to consider

for engagement and what questions they need to ask themselves during

project planning; whereas right now, that lens doesn’t exist,” adds

Horsman.

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Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government13

Horsman notes that it is also important to provide guidance to Council

about their role and what to watch out for.

As an example, Council is encouraged to appear at public meetings, but

is there strictly to listen, not debate. If they make it clear they are leaning

towards a certain decision, it undermines the consultation process.

It’s also important not to get defensive, which applies to both elected

offi cials and staff .

For the community, the challenge is sometimes managing the

expectations of residents in terms of what level of involvement they

have and to emphasize that they are being consulted, but they are not

empowered to make decisions.

“Many local governments have a very vocal group of residents with an

expectation of shared decision-making, and at some point, it may be

appropriate to be straightforward with them and say that Council is the

decision-maker and if they want that level of responsibility, they need to

run for Council,” says Horsman.

Ultimately, meaningful engagement founded in solid policy and best

practices will help to build relationships and instill both mutual trust

and confi dence between the local government and its community.

Because communication and engagement are fundamental to building

relationships, it’s extremely important that they are carried out in a

way that is respectful. Whether communicating with the community,

in discussions with elected offi cials, or in conversations between staff ,

there is no room for rudeness, disrespectful comments or bullying,

abusive behaviour. Unfortunately, there is a growing trend towards these

unacceptable behaviours within local government.

To address this issue, LGMA staff have committed signifi cant time

and energy over the last two years to support the Working Group

on Responsible Conduct. Th is includes joining with the Ministry of

Municipal Aff airs and Housing and UBCM in a collaborative eff ort

to address issues related to the responsible conduct of elected offi cials.

Much of the work has focused on building the foundation for codes of

conduct. Th is included articulating four key foundational principles of

responsible conduct – integrity, respect, accountability and leadership –

which have been built into election education materials provided by the

Ministry and LGMA and can be used to assist Councils and Boards to

establish a shared understanding of core expectations for conduct.

Th rough consultation, a model code of conduct and companion guide

have been developed that can be used by Councils and Boards to help

get started building – or refreshing – their own codes of conduct. It

was designed so that it can be customized to fi t the unique experiences

and shared values of diff erent Councils and Boards. Th e accompanying

companion guide provides discussion questions, things to keep in mind,

and other helpful tips and resources to facilitate the conversations that

are important in building a code of conduct.

Both of these documents are available on the LGMA website (See Tips

& Tactics, page 21).

Together, these policies, procedures and best practices help to create

an environment where input is valued, conversations are informative

and respectful, and engagement is meaningful. Together, these eff orts

support an open, responsive and accountable government that has

gained the trust and confi dence of its citizens, which all support

improved governance.

❖

Ultimately, meaningful engagement founded in solid policy and best practices will help to build relationships and instill both mutual trust and confi dence between the local government and its community.

A Quarterly Publication of the LGMA Exchange – Winter 2019 14

Sometimes, informing and engaging elected offi cials needs to be the

priority. Th is is especially true in Esquimalt when preparing the budget

each year.

Budget approval is one of a Council or Board’s core responsibilities,

yet gaining a thorough understanding of how it works and being fully

conversant on all aspects of the budget is a challenge. In Esquimalt, their

communication and engagement on the budget is focused on Council

and involves a series of educational sessions that start with explaining

budgeting and fi nancial processes and implications, not numbers. By the

time the numbers are presented to Councillors, they are familiar with the

extent of core services, previous commitments that are underway and the

impacts of increasing or decreasing taxes to accommodate new spending.

“Our process builds trust and respect because we create a relationship

with Council by having them gain a thorough understanding of the

budget,” says Laurie Hurst, Chief Administrative Offi cer, Township

of Esquimalt. “Our Councillors are not in the dark about any aspect

of our fi nancial situation because of our communication. Th ey get all

these calls when taxes come out, and every one of them is comfortable

talking about how the tax decisions came about.”

Th e Township’s fi rst step is an annual strategic planning process to

clearly defi ne Council’s priorities. From there, staff deliver a phased-

in educational program that begins with what they call Municipal

Finance 101 to take Council through fi nancial management processes

as well as how the budget is developed.

Th is includes how fund accounting

works, where revenues come from, what

expenditures are and other aspects of

fi nances.

Th ey highlight budget challenges, including

items that are not discretionary and need to

be factored in when considering tax increases,

and how the mill rate is developed in the

context of revenue increases.

“Everyone talks about tax increases – what

many see as the mill rate – but we explain to our Council how it’s really

the revenue increase that results in the mill rate change,” says Ian Irvine,

Director of Financial Services, Township of Esquimalt. “When it came

to last year’s tax rate, we saw a huge increase in assessment values, so we

had a 2.5 per cent revenue increase needed but ended up with a 14 per

cent mill rate reduction. Council understood why it worked that way

due to the level of education we had provided to them.”

Th e next step is to cover core services. Department managers outline

their area’s responsibilities, challenges, objectives and achievements

and how these relate to costs. Th ese department presentations are

determined and approved by senior management as a team to ensure

they refl ect shared management decisions.

“It’s important that Councillors understand the services we’re

providing, and the level that is provided to the community, before we

get into the numbers,” says Hurst. “We start the budgeting process in

early fall, but Council doesn’t see numbers until March.”

Staff also provide a briefi ng on the policies and objectives that have

been approved by Council, and the related commitments coming

forward in the budget that relate to those areas. When Council has all

of the background information, they see the numbers for a variety of

tax increase scenarios and make a decision on the budget.

Th e approval of the budget in May is a milestone each year, but it’s not

the end of the discussion. Instead, the Township continues engaging

Council on the budget and fi nancial management of the organization

through quarterly reports. Th e fi rst is held at the end of June, and then

every three months aft er that. Like the budget development process,

these reports are about more than numbers.

Continued on page 15

THREE COMMUNICATIONS CASE STUDIES

Laurie Hurst

Lessons LearnedBy Therese Mickelson, ABC

ESQUIMALT: INSTILLING BUDGET FUNDAMENTALS

Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government15

Continued on page 16

“Ian summarizes and translates the numbers for Council to highlight

any areas with larger discrepancies,” says Hurst. “So it’s about

communicating – not presenting – the report to them by explaining

the numbers in language they will understand better.”

“It’s important not to get into the weeds,” says Irvine. “Th ey can see

the snapshot, but they don’t really understand what the analysis means,

so we help with that by explaining variances, why they exist and what

we’re doing about it.”

For staff , the budget process has become a routine that involves a

shared commitment to balance needs and collaborate to put together

budget options for Council to review. Th e senior management team

considers Council’s strategic priorities and recommends diff erent

scenarios based on Council’s desired range of tax revenue increases.

“Th e senior team dukes it out to decide as a group what we’ll ask

Council to fund at each level of increase. We respect each other, but we

call each other out on things too, like if someone asks for too much for

capital projects when they don’t have the staff to handle it,” says Hurst.

“Aft er all our deliberations, we leave the room in full agreement so

there’s lots of collaboration and give and take that goes on behind the

scenes. When we go to Council, everyone

on senior management is in agreement with

what we put forward.”

When Council reviews the proposed

options at each tax level, they are briefed on

what staff recommend be kept in or out to

meet each revenue level.

“Council can either agree with our

recommendations or choose something

else, but they know what their staff – paid

professionals – would recommend to get the tax increase that is

comfortable for them,” says Irvine.

“I can probably list on one hand the number of times Council has

added something to the list that we didn’t include, and usually

something like road maintenance or a sidewalk.”

Aft er the budget is approved, there is still another step in

communication and engagement – this time focused on the

community.

Ian Irvine

KAMLOOPS OFFICE VANCOUVER OFFICE

A Quarterly Publication of the LGMA Exchange – Winter 2019 16

While they have found that residents are not interested in getting

involved in the budget process, they do want to have a say in how

projects are implemented. In response, the Township doesn’t move

forward with signifi cant budget items until a more robust community

engagement process is completed.

“We have the money, but before Council will spend it, we ask the

community how the money should be spent,” says Hurst. “As an

example, we have $17 million in amenity funds for hosting a regional

waste water treatment plant, and we are doing an 18-month public

engagement process. We fi nd engaging residents on specifi c projects

that matter to them works best.”

Irvine notes that this year the community will also be invited to attend

information sessions that will cover the basics about fi nances.

Again, these sessions are less about the numbers and more about how

budgets and fi nances are managed, including assessments, taxation and

all the factors that aff ect budgeting.

Together, the work to engage Council as a fi rst priority, with staff

collaboration and targeted engagement on projects aff ecting the

community, have become a formula for success in Esquimalt.

“I’ve been told that our Councillors really appreciate the amount of

knowledge they gain, and they hear from their colleagues that they get

a more robust understanding of the budget than others,” says Hurst.

“Before this process was in place, we’d hear some criticism that we

over-complicated things. Now, I’ve only ever heard positive feedback.”

Lessons Learned: Three Communications Case StudiesContinued from page 15

Continued on page 17

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LANGLEY CITY: VISION AND STRATEGY

“Before this process was in place, we’d hear some criticism that we over-complicated things. Now I’ve only ever heard positive feedback.”

Sometimes success stems from more than just communicating and

engaging people, it’s about who you invite to join the conversation.

For Langley City, inviting the right mix of experts, thought leaders

and people with local knowledge formed the foundation of a

working group to create an aspirational vision and strategy for the

community as it prepares for the arrival of rapid transit within the

next decade. Th e result is a bold new vision and strategy, Langley City:

Nexus of Community, and a corresponding recommendations and

implementation plan to guide growth and development over the next

25-plus years.

Th e project was initiated by Francis Cheung, the City’s Chief

Administrative Offi cer, who wanted to ensure that Langley City had

its own plan for the residential growth and economic opportunities

stemming from rapid transit.

“It dawned on me that we have to be ready

for when rapid transit comes,” says Cheung.

“We don’t want the train to dictate how we

transform over the next 30 or 40 years. We

want to lead the process and to think bigger

because we have this one chance to become

something we hadn’t even dreamed about.”

To achieve this vision, the City contracted

Lucent Quay Consulting Inc. who

developed an approach that started with

a review of existing community surveys and discussions with the

development industry. Th is led to a better understanding of the

needs, priorities, and gaps to be addressed. Th e next step is what

diff erentiated Langley’s approach from what is done traditionally in

local government. Instead of only engaging residents who have limited

understanding of municipal operations and sustainable planning,

they brought thought leaders and experts who represented all the

areas necessary for a holistic, sustainable community. Th ey used these

creative, forward-thinking ideas to help craft a vision and strategy for

the City.

“We wanted the plan to address every facet of our City – wellness,

lifestyle, recreation, housing, transportation and more – because that’s

what creates a community,” says Cheung.

Francis Cheung

Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government17

Continued on page 18

“We involved a mix of people who are experts to give us advice from a

vast array of diff erent viewpoints to move the community forward.”

Participants came with a breadth of experience and represented a

balance in gender, age, ethnicity, lifestyle and geographic base (local,

national and international). Experience ranged from community

development and sustainable city planning to business and cultural

development, to lifestyle and recreation. Care was taken to include

representatives who could share insights on community safety, social

issues, indigenization and working with youth.

“Participants received a ‘foreword’ document to help them prepare for

the session. Our approach was ‘here’s where we are at’ and then let’s

talk about where we could be,” says Pam Ryan, President, Lucent Quay.

“Th is format works because it combines what an organization already

knows about itself with the creativity and collective brilliance of lateral

thinkers who push the envelope and the status quo.”

One of the experts involved in the process was Mike Harcourt, former

Premier of British Columbia and Mayor of Vancouver who now

provides advice as a consultant in the area of building sustainable

cities.

“I thought it was a good process and the mix of people was impressive,”

says Harcourt. “A lot of really great ideas came out of the discussion,

including ideas for re-doing the downtown and linking complete

community ideas in, such as people living close to where they shop,

pedestrian friendly streets, and integrating the transportation

extension to rapid transit.”

Harcourt also emphasized the importance of having a plan to guide

decisions.

“Cities are all about choices, and you have to make the right choices

or you can have long-term negative consequences,” says Harcourt. “I

think it’s good that Langley has the foresight and vision to look out

to a long-term strategy, with a vision based on sustainable principles

rather than the disastrous sprawl with dead downtowns that we see in

places like Detroit.”

Th e next step involved engaging Council members in the process by

fi rst briefi ng them on what had been shared by the experts and then

replicating the exercises with Council.

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Lessons Learned: Three Communications Case StudiesContinued from page 17

“We were able to learn where Council was aligned with thought

leaders, and where they diverged a bit,” says Ryan. “It reinforced for

Council that they were on track, and also confi rmed the benefi t of

moving into new directions. From both of these events, Lucent Quay

penned the fi nal vision and strategy, which Council unanimously

endorsed.”

With Council endorsement, the City has begun the next phase of

engagement: sharing the vision with the community, informing and

training staff on how to embed the vision and strategy into plans and

operations, and creating processes to ensure that the vision and strategy

stay front and centre with Council, staff and the community.

“I didn’t want this to be on the shelf collecting dust, so I made it

clear that we need to be action focused,” says Cheung. “We’re going

to be implementing recommendations from the vision document

and holding ourselves accountable with a yearly report card for the

community, and we’re already well on our way to do that.”

Th e communication roll-out initially focuses on sharing the vision of

Langley as a nexus – a community connecting the Fraser Valley, Metro

Vancouver and the surrounding communities.

Th e information materials outline how the

vision is an instrument of change to shape

the community based on four cornerstones:

community, connection, integration and

experiences.

Th e City is using a wide variety of tactics

that started with a news release, followed

by an online video and a presentation deck

when meeting with local organizations and

neighbourhood groups.

Pop-up banners for use at events and at City Hall highlight the four

cornerstones, and the City’s website will feature regular updates.

With the vision as a foundation for discussion, the City will be

consulting with the community on a number of major planning

initiatives in 2019, including updates to the Offi cial Community

Plan and zoning bylaw, development of a Nicomekl River District

Neighbourhood Plan, a Transit Hub Design and a feasibility study for

a potential performing arts centre.

It has also been important to bring staff on board to help them

understand the vision and how it relates to their work. Th is includes

both how to integrate the vision with their planning and services,

as well as how it will be reported back to Council. Staff engagement

started with the early foreword document and continued throughout

the development of the vision, including a training session as part of

staff launch.

“I let them know that what they may hear about the vision may

challenge them and our policies, but we need to think outside the

box,” says Cheung. “I asked staff to fi rst listen, recognizing that they

may not all embrace the vision at this point. Th e reality is that we still

need to build business cases and policy changes for individual projects

as part of the implementation plan. Consultation for these will help

confi rm whether the community supports all of the ideas. We want to

be aspirational but we also may need to step back sometimes. Th e key

now is let’s not constrain ourselves at this point.”

As part of continuing to roll out the vision and keep it top of mind

for Council, staff and the community, Cheung is instituting a number

of regular processes that will include periodic briefi ngs to Council

at open meetings and an annual report to the community on the

implementation status. Staff will be part of semi-annual presentations

on the roll-out, and he will include updates in the Friday brief that is

sent to Council and staff each week.

Continued on page 19

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Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government19

“I think if people can see how the capital decisions, re-zonings and

other projects that show where their tax dollars are going beyond basic

services fi t together, they feel more positive about the future prospects

of the community,” says Harcourt.

“I also think it’s one of the major duties and responsibilities of local

government managers and staff to become knowledgeable about how

to create a community you can be proud of, and it should be one of

the fi rst tasks for a new Council to look out 30 years and see how to

become a sustainable community.”

“It’s one of the major duties and responsibilities of City managers and staff to become knowledgeable about how to create a community you can become proud of, and it should be one of the fi rst tasks for a new Council to look out 30 years and see how to become a sustainable community.”

ONTARIO: SUPPORTING AN ETHICAL, RESPECTFUL WORKPLACE

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C O N S U L T I N G • T R A I N I N G

Ontario is setting a new standard for ethical, respectful conduct in

local governments through amendments to the Municipal Act, 2001,

City of Toronto Act, 2006 and Municipal Confl ict of Interest Act. Th e

new changes result in mandatory codes of conduct for all members of

municipal council and certain local boards to guide ethical behaviour

along with the required appointment of an integrity commissioner

and a wider range of penalties for contraventions of the Municipal

Confl ict of Interest Act. Th e amendments are designed to address

growing concerns and were passed through Bill 68, which received

Royal Assent on May 30, 2017. While some changes are already in

force, several of the updates that directly aff ect conduct by elected

offi cials will become eff ective on March 1, 2019.

“Th ere were a number of egregiously bad behaviours by council

members across the province,” says John Mascarin, a lawyer with

Aird & Berlis LLP in Toronto, Ontario and certifi ed specialist in

municipal law, as well as an integrity commissioner for multiple local

governments in Ontario. “Th e provincial government wanted to hold

local representatives more accountable, but the challenge of having

oversight at a provincial level would be rolling back the clock on

municipal independence, which had long been fought for.”

To help maintain this municipal independence, the provincial

government put the onus on municipalities by making it mandatory

for them to develop and police their own codes of conduct. Th is

includes requirements related to ethical and respectful behaviour,

and they must appoint their own integrity commissioners to handle

reports of misconduct and make recommendations as to sanctions.

“We have 444 municipalities in Ontario and a lot didn’t have a code of

conduct or if they did, it was pretty rudimentary,” says Mascarin. “Th e

province didn’t trust municipalities to cover off everything, so the new

legislation mandates four subject matters that must be included, which

I think is an eff ort to provide for credible codes of conduct instead of

codes that don’t say very much.”

Th e four areas a code of conduct must address relate to gift s, benefi ts

and hospitality; respectful conduct, including conduct toward offi cers

and employees of the municipality or the local board; confi dential

information; and the use of property of the municipality or local

board. Other than these subjects, the local municipality can tailor its

code of conduct to suit its circumstances.

Continued on page 20

A Quarterly Publication of the LGMA Exchange – Winter 2019 20

Mascarin notes that while this new

requirement for a more defi ned code of

conduct is a good step, enforcement may

be a challenge.

“Th e problem with the Ontario model

is that it doesn’t really have any teeth in

terms of enforcement,” says Mascarin. “If a

member contravenes the code of conduct,

there are only two penalties that can be

imposed. One is a reprimand, without a lot

of clarity on what that involves, and the other is a suspension of pay for

up to 90 days, but given that some members are paid on a per meeting

basis, that’s not much impact.”

Another key change is that municipalities must appoint an integrity

commissioner to enforce the code of conduct. Th is is a mandatory

position, and the role includes investigations into complaints related

to the code of conduct, as well as a new responsibility to review

complaints or concerns related to a member’s compliance with

the Municipal Confl ict of Interest Act. In the past, the only way to

enforce an alleged contravention was for an elector to bring a court

application. Now, someone can simply ask the integrity commissioner

to look into the situation and if there appears to be some veracity

to the complaint, the integrity commissioner can bring forward

the application to the court. On the other hand, the integrity

commissioner can also provide individual advice to an elected offi cial

on a confl ict of interest matter.

Mascarin notes that this is a signifi cant change for a few reasons. One

is that in the past, very few municipalities would pay for councillors

to get legal advice related to confl ict of interest, which meant that

the members would either get bad advice or no advice at all. While it

will now be easier to bring a code of conduct complaint forward, the

members can also get advice upfront before they act. Th is is important

because one of the penalties for contravening the Municipal Confl ict of

Interest Act is removal from offi ce.

“What’s key is that they are putting the integrity commissioner in

charge for the fi rst time, and I think we’re going to see a lot more

complaints in this area when it comes into place in March,” says

Mascarin. “Staff or community members may not bother with a code

of conduct complaint if they think it will only result in a slap on the

wrist, but if they can get the integrity commissioner to investigate a

confl ict of interest situation, it could involve court time and potential

removal of the member from council.”

Th ere is a corresponding risk to this new structure as at this time,

integrity commissioners do not need to be lawyers. Th is means they are

essentially providing legal advice without the education or expertise, so

may not be qualifi ed to provide advice on whether a council member

has breached the Municipal Confl ict of Interest Act.

“Th e question is going to come out sooner or later about whether an

integrity commissioner needs to be a licensed lawyer to give that kind

of advice,” says Mascarin.

As well, if there is only one integrity commissioner appointed (which

is the standard model), that person may be providing advice and then

also investigating a complaint against the same member. Mascarin

has heard that some municipalities believe they will need to have

two integrity commissioners – one to give advice and one to handle

complaints.

As the new legislation comes into force in March, it will be interesting

to see whether there is an improvement in conduct by elected offi cials.

For local governments in B.C., Mascarin has advice for organizations

who are considering a code of conduct to address ethical behaviour in

the workplace. Th e code of conduct should provide general principles

and prohibited actions, as well as be specifi c enough to provide clear

terms for addressing standards of behaviour to make it easier to

enforce, but it’s not a detailed list of every possible infraction.

“Hire someone who knows how these types of codes of conduct

operate and what’s viable in terms of enforcement, and work with

staff who can inform the person about some of the problems or issues

experienced in the past,” says Mascarin. “Th en engage with the public

and council. Th e public process doesn’t need to be protracted but it

should refl ect the level of interest of the citizens in that community.

When the council knows that a code of conduct wasn’t just dreamed

up, and it was in fact draft ed with help from an expert and then

endorsed by the community, there will be a better buy-in from

council.”

Th e other key step is to apply training and education to ensure council

is aware of what the code of conduct includes and how it applies to

them. Together, it is hoped that these measures will help to guide

improved behaviour and communication within the workplace and

community.

❖

Lessons Learned: Three Communications Case StudiesContinued from page 19

“The code of conduct should provide general principles and prohibited actions, as well as be specifi c enough to provide clear terms for addressing standards of behaviour.”

John Mascarin

Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government21

Are you taking advantage of everything your LGMA membership has to offer? Learn more: www.lgma.ca or 250-383-7032

tips & tactics Communications and Engagement

IAP2 Core Values

Core values noted on the IAP2 website:• Public participation is based on the belief that those who

are affected by a decision have a right to be involved in the decision-making process.

• Public participation includes the promise that the public’s contribution will infl uence the decision.

• Public participation promotes sustainable decisions by recognizing and communicating the needs and interests of all participants, including decision makers.

• Public participation seeks out and facilitates the involvement of those potentially affected by or interested in a decision.

• Public participation seeks input from participants in designing how they participate.

• Public participation provides participants with the information they need to participate in a meaningful way.

• Public participation communicates to participants how their input affected the decision.

Resources to Support Communication and Engagement

• PlaceSpeak.com: Online community consultation tool with servers hosted in Canada and the capacity to target specifi c neighbourhoods.

• IAP2 BC Chapter (www.iap2bc.ca): Provides training, events and resources to support and improve the practice of public participation

• Citizen Budget Online Simulator (www.citizenbudget.com): Citizen Budget is an interactive platform that shows the fi nancial impacts of participants’ choices in real time, educating them about the trade-offs and constraints faced by their municipality.

• MATI Advanced Communication Skills for Local Government Professional: Provided by Capilano University and the LGMA, participants work in small groups side-by-side with senior local government leaders, to learn the skills necessary to resolving unique communication challenges as well as sharing strategies for improved communications skills.

• Local Government Leadership Academy (www.lgla.ca): Supports and promotes education and training for local government and First Nations elected offi cials and senior administrators throughout the Province of British Columbia.

Resources to Support a Respectful Workplace

• Model Code of Conduct and Companion Guide: www.ubcm.ca/EN/main/resolutions/policy-areas/governance/working-group-on-responsible-conduct.html

• LGMA Working Group on Responsible Conduct: www.lgma.ca/EN/main/resources/responsible-conduct-of-local-government-elected-offi cials.html

• Municipal Ethics Regimes, book by Gregory Levine: www.municipalworld.com/product/municipal-ethics-regimes-2nd-edition/

• Ontario Government Guide to Public Service Ethics and Conduct: www.parks.on.ca/default/assets/File/Guide%20to%20Public%20Service%20Ethics%20and%20Conduct.pdf

• City of Toronto Offi ce of the Integrity Commissioner and Code of Conduct: www.toronto.ca/city-government/accountability-operations-customer-service/accountability-offi cers/integrity-commissioner/codes-of-conduct-and-resources/

A Quarterly Publication of the LGMA Exchange – Winter 2019 22

IN MEMORIAM

In Memory of Sandra Carter A great supporter and sponsor of the Local Government Management Association has passed away. Many members will remember Sandra Carter’s creative, entertaining and informative presentations at LGMA conferences. And who can forget the Valkyrie Law Martini Receptions? Sandra was a frequent speaker at many local government-focused seminars and conferences, including the LGMA, UBCM, chapter conferences, Canadian Legal Education and Pacifi c Business & Law Institute conferences.

Since her call to the Bar in 1994, Sandra developed over 24 years of municipal law experience, advising on many new local government initiatives. She articled with Bull Housser & Tupper from 1994 to 1995 and was hired back into that local government practice where she soon became a partner. Sandra stayed at BHT until 2009 when she left to form her own boutique local government practice under the banner of Valkyrie Law. An innovative thinker, her fi rm adopted the approach of being entirely virtual – in her words: “Versatile and mobile, the knowledge-based business of law needs no bricks and mortar!” The unique fi rm model is advantageous to clients in the ability to minimize the transfer of overhead costs to clients. That’s value.

Anyone who knew Sandra appreciated her adventurous spirit. She learned to fl y a plane, ride a motorcycle and she loved to take her car out on the speedway. She travelled extensively around the world. She loved a good debate and was profoundly devoted to her clients. She leaves a big gap in the local government community.

LGMA UPDATES

In Memory of Rae Sawyer Long-time LGMA member and active Chapter supporter Rae Sawyer passed away comfortably in Kaslo on November 2, 2018. The retired CAO for the Village of Kaslo, Rae was hired as Secretary for the Village in May 1975 and became the Village Clerk/Tax Collector and Treasurer in May 1986.

Rae earned her degree from University of Victoria in Public Sector Management in 1987. In 2012 she was recognized by the LGMA with a Long Time Service Award, celebrating her contributions to local government.

Rae was involved with Emergency Management and held several certifi cates through the Justice Institute of BC. After her retirement from Kaslo in 2014, she carried on with Emergency Social Services as a volunteer.

Rae was one of the most dedicated public servants, serving Kaslo for over 40 years. She was a professional and class act – she stayed calm through every situation.

The Village of Kaslo will be installing a memorial bench in Legacy Park beside the historical City Hall to honour her dedication and service to the community.

Promoting Professional Management & Leadership Excellence in Local Government23

MEMBERS PAGE

MEMBER MOVEMENTRussell Brewer, Chief Administrative Offi cer, City of Powell River (Formerly City Councillor, City of Powell River)

Kristen Danczak, Communications Coordinator, Peace River Regional District (Formerly Program and Events Coordinator, District of Taylor)

Dave Douglas, Director of Finance, Town of Gibsons (Formerly Manager of Finance, District of Ucluelet)

Myriah Foort, Chief Financial Offi cer, Strathcona Regional District (Formerly Financial Manager, City of Campbell River)

Donna, Forseille, Corporate Offi cer, District of Wells, (Formerly Deputy Clerk, District of Wells)

Lina Gasser, Corporate Offi cer, District of Fort St. James (Formerly Deputy Corporate Offi cer, District of Fort St. James)

Hirod Gill, Manager of Engineering Services, City of Langley (Formerly Manager of Engineering Planning & Design, District of Mission)

Connie Larson, Deputy Chief Administrative Offi cer, Village of Alert Bay (Formerly Administrative Coordinator / Shipping Assistant, Millar Western Forest Products, Alberta)

Leanne McCarthy, Chief Administrative Offi cer, City of North Vancouver (Formerly Deputy City Manager, Urban Form and Corporate Strategic Development, City of Edmonton)

Lyle McNish, Chief Administrative Offi cer, Village of Alert Bay (Formerly Controller, City West Cable & Telephone Co. Ltd. owned by City of Prince Rupert)

Zabrina Pendon, Director of Operations, City of Fernie (Formerly Manager, East Kootenay ISL Engineering and Land Services)

Dana Schmidt, Deputy City Clerk, City of Delta (Formerly Corporate Offi cer, City of Penticton)

Meredith Starkey, Chief Administrative Offi cer, Village of Zeballos (Formerly Administrative Assistant, Village of Zeballos)

Tim Tanton, Chief Administrative Offi cer, District of North Saanich (Formerly Director of Development Services, Engineering, Parks and Public Works, Town of Sidney)

Kelley Williams, Chief Administrative Offi cer, District of Fort St. James (Formerly Economic Development Offi cer, District of Fort St. James)

Selina Williams, Director of Corporate Services, City of Colwood (Formerly Corporate Offi cer, Town of Gibsons)

Andrew Young, Administrator, District of Taylor (Formerly Chief Administrative Offi cer, District of Wells)

RETIREMENTSRob Buchan, Chief Administrative Offi cer, District of North Saanich

Malcolm “Mac” Fraser, Chief Administrative Offi cer, City of Powell River

Eileen Lovestrom, Chief Administrative Offi cer, Village of Zeballos

Sandra MacFarlane, Deputy Municipal Clerk, City of Delta

Terry Melcer, Chief Administrative Offi cer, District of Sparwood

Mark Ruttan, Director of Corporate Services & Deputy Chief Administrative Offi cer, District of North Cowichan

Ken Tollstram, Chief Administrative Offi cer, City of North Vancouver

Bruce Woodbury, Chief Administrative Offi cer, Village of New Denver

2019 LGMA PROGRAMS & EVENTSFebruary 5-7 CAO Forum Coast Capri Hotel, Kelowna

March 8-10 Effective Fire Service Administration Program Heritage Inn Hotel and Conference Centre, Cranbrook

April 10-12 Administrative Professionals Conference Vancouver Island Conference Centre, Nanaimo

April 10-12 Rocky Mountain and West Kootenay Boundary Joint Spring Chapter Meeting Rossland

April 17 Lower Mainland Chapter Meeting New Westminster

April 28-May 3 MATI Advanced Communication Skills (CAPU/LGMA) Bowen Island

May 26-31 MATI Managing People in Local Government Organizations Bowen Island

June 11-13 LGMA 100th Anniversary, Annual Conference and Showcase Westin Bayshore, Vancouver

June 16-21 MATI Leadership in Local Government Organizations Bowen Island

July 28-31 Corporate Offi cers Bootcamp University of Victoria, Victoria

August 11-16 MATI Foundations UBC-Okanagan, Kelowna

October 2-4 Corporate Offi cers Forum Prince George

October 20-25 MATI Statutory School for Approving Offi cers South Thompson Inn, Kamloops

November 3-5 MATI Successful CAO The Cove Lakeside Resort, West Kelowna

2019 RELATED PARTNER PROGRAMS & EVENTSApril 3-5 Local Government Administration Association Annual Conference & Tradeshow (Alberta) Red Deer, AB

May 19-22 Government Finance Offi cers Association Annual Conference Los Angeles, California

May 19-22 International Institute of Municipal Clerks Annual Conference Birmingham, Alabama

May 27-29 Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators Annual Conference & Tradeshow Quebec City, QC

May 29-31 Government Finance Offi cers Association of BC Annual Conference Victoria, BC

May 30-June 2 Federation of Canadian Municipalities Annual Conference Quebec City, QC

June 9-12 Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario Annual Conference Huntsville, ON

A Quarterly Publication of the LGMA Exchange – Winter 2019 24

MEMBERS PAGE

When I tell people that I work for the Village of Anmore, many respond with a quizzical look and the question “Where is Anmore?” So, for those of you with the same quizzical look on your faces right now, the Village of Anmore is located in the Metro Vancouver Regional District, north of the City of Port Moody. We are bordered by Port Moody, the City of Coquitlam, Indian Arm Marine Provincial Park and the Village of Belcarra. Given our relatively small size in a large metropolitan area, it is a surprise to some that we are our own local government. Incorporated in 1987 and the third smallest community in Metro Vancouver (behind Belcarra and the Village of Lion’s Bay), the Village of Anmore boasts the ability for our 2,200 residents to live at home in nature while being only steps away from the modern conveniences our neighbouring big cities can offer.

The Village has an abundance of natural forests, trails and a true gem for recreation seekers throughout the Lower Mainland – Buntzen Lake. Buntzen Lake is a reservoir that provided the fi rst hydroelectric power to Vancouver in 1904. Today, Anmore works closely with BC Hydro, which is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the wildly popular day-use beach, hiking trails and non-motorized watersports lake.

Our “semi-rural” community is formed mostly by large lots that are at least an acre in size, plus many that are larger, and we offer only one commercial operation – our quaint corner store. With our current (and temporary) Village Hall having restricted capacity for large gatherings and a lack of commercial stores, annual events have become a focus for the Village in order to ensure we continue to build and maintain our sense of community here. Four events are held each year in our biggest amenity – Spirit Park. Located in the centre of Anmore and at the same site as our Village Hall, Spirit Park has been expanded in recent years to allow for the larger community gatherings we’ve experienced.

Our four major events feature an Easter Egg Hunt, setting off the biggest and best fi reworks display on Halloween, kicking off the holiday season in December with Light Up Spirit Park (with the help of Santa) and celebrating our heritage on Ma Murray Day each year.

Ma Murray Day is our largest community event, occurring on the second Sunday in September. As the event has grown over the years, we’ve added to our local marketplace, car show, talent competition and children’s activities. We now invite food trucks, conduct a lawn mower race and hold a cake eating contest for the young (and young at heart). We work in partnership with our Sasamat Volunteer Fire Department, which generously donates time to serve smokies and hot corn on the cob. Our events have evolved over the years to be bigger and more important to our residents – new and established alike.

Come visit us in Anmore! All are welcome at our community events and no matter what type of outdoor recreation you take part in, there’s something here for you. And best of all, you’ll be able to tell people with confi dence exactly where Anmore is when they ask.

– Juli Halliwell, Chief Administrative Offi cer

OUR TOWN: VILLAGE OF ANMORE

Wintertime view of Buntzen Lake, a popular recreation destination in Anmore.

Juli Halliwell

The lawn mower race is one of the highlights of Ma Murray Day, Anmore’s

largest community event.

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